Who am I

This past week, 'A' had day camp for cub scouts.  It was sponsored through the council that we are in, which covers our city and 3 or 4 other surrounding.  'A' is a bear, and there was about 90 bears total that were there. The camp was for 5 days for 8 hours each day. After 4 hours at day camp on Monday, 'A' called me saying that he wanted to come home.

That night, as this was only Monday, and we still have 4 more days of camp, Troy and I sat down and talked with 'A' to find out what was wrong and how we could make the rest of the camp successful.  'A' kept saying over and over again, "I am homesick when I'm there."

I remembered reading in a book about helping shy children that you need to help them realize that shyness is a feeling, like being happy or sad, and you can change how you are feeling, just like when you are happy or sad.  Shyness is not who you are, but how you feel.

So I told 'A' homesickness is just a feeling.  You can change how you feel.  It's not who you are.  Feelings go away.

The next night after day camp I asked 'A' how he was able to feel comfortable there, and he said that he just kept telling himself that over and over when he started feeling, "I am not homesick. Homesickness just a feeling."

I have been pondering that again and again.  Wondering what feelings I feel that I think are me, but these feelings aren't me.  It's just the way I feel or an experience I had in life that I let define me.

I remember growing up, my best friend was a fast runner.  We would often have races, and she would always beat me.  In my little brain I interpreted that as I can't run fast.  I am now realizing, that although I am not an Olympic pace runner, I can increase my speed and push myself when I stop telling myself, "You are not a fast runner."

So the question is, who am I?  What things have I been telling myself that I am, but it isn't who I am, but it is just a way I feel or others have said they feel about me?

To start, I know that I am a daughter of Heavenly Father, who loves me, and I love him.  I know this with all my mind, heart and soul.  This is one truth I know for sure.  I will work from there.